Following up his best season to date with the Seattle Mariners, outfielder Michael Saunders has signed a one-year deal with the team for a big raise.
While exact terms of the deal were not released by the Mariners, The Seattle Times reported the deal was worth $2.3 million plus incentives for Saunders, a graduate of Lambrick Park secondary in Saanich. His salary was listed at $512,600 last season, his fifth full or partial season with the M's.
Saunders, 27, hit .236 with 12 home runs, 46 runs batted in and 13 stolen bases last season. In the past two seasons, he has played all three outfield positions, but primarily centre. He became the team's de facto starting centrefielder when incumbent Franklin Gutierrez went down to injury in 2011 and remained there through most of 2012 and 2013, playing 113 and 78 games there, respectively.
Saunders originally signed with the Mariners in 2004 and made his way up through the ranks. He made his Major League Baseball debut in 2009.